Behavior problems, weight issues, minor injuries, and a range of chronic problems are routinely seen in a primary care veterinary practice. Developing skills to provide care, make referral decisions, and communicate clearly and gently with clients are all important skills for primary care providers as well as specialists. The structure of the VMC Primary Care Service ensures that students have exposure to these issues and develop these skills.

The MSU Veterinary Medical Center's Rehabilitation Service provides therapeutic treatments prior to and following orthopedic surgery, for performance training and conditioning, to manage neurological disorders, and to manage chronic conditions such as arthritis and obesity.

“We see amazing results,” says Genia Smith, LVT, CCRP. “We see patients recover from injuries that have been considered fully crippling. We are able to greatly improve quality of life for patients with chronic debilitating conditions, and are able to help support long and healthy lives with our weight management and wellness routines.”

“When students learn about the benefits and possibilities of rehabilitation, the patients win,” says Smith. “There is no reason for an animal not to have the best possible recovery from surgery, and there is no reason for a pet to have its life cut short because of complications related to obesity. And even with conditions like arthritis that can’t be cured, we can really provide relief.”

Marie Hopfensperger, DVM, who heads up the Behavior Service, wants to see every veterinarian have the skills and confidence to discuss behavioral issues when animals are coming in for their routine wellness visits. For the first time this fall, every student has some exposure to behavior during their clinical competencies course. Behavioral issues are the number one reason pets are relinquished to shelters.

“Most are surrendered when they are under two years of age and more than 60 percent of those will be euthanized,” says Hopfensperger. “So we as a population of veterinarians, by not asking about behavior, are not asking about what is, in a way, the leading cause of death for our cat and dog population.”

“In a behavioral service, it’s really important to rule out underlying medical conditions,” says Hopfensperger. “Having the relationship to primary care really helps that process run smoothly and efficiently.”

The Service provides specialized treatment of pets with behavior problems, including aggression, anxiety, and house-soiling. The Service also can help owners prepare for the addition of a new pet or the arrival of a new baby, as well as diagnose underlying medical conditions contributing to problem behaviors.

Veterinary Hospice
Veterinary hospice care bridges the gap between terminal illness and euthanasia or natural death. This includes in-home, veterinary-supported palliative care to help pets maintain a good quality of life and live comfortably until natural death or euthanasia occurs.

Page Yaxley, DVM, DACVECC, founder of Hospice Veterinary Care and co-facilitator of the Pet Loss Support Group, along with hospice-trained veterinary technicians, provide in-home compassionate treatment for pets. Hospice helps with the planning and training for medication and fluid support, advanced and alternative medication, pain management, home-care feedings, and mobility improvement.

“We develop for each patient a customized plan for pain and symptom control, educate clients about the disease process and treatment options, and walk clients through what lies ahead—with the goal of helping to maintain a good quality of life for companion animals,” says Yaxley.

The Service provides support and assistance with end-of-life decisions, 24-hour phone consultation, and planned in-home euthanasia services.

The Nutrition Service
The Nutrition Service supports clinicians, staff, and students who are managing the dietary needs of healthy animals and chronically ill animals.

“Obesity is the most common condition treated by the service,” says Sarah Abood, DVM, PhD. “Communication is an important skill when discussing nutrition with clients. So with students we really work on leadership skills and professional development.”

The Nutrition Service has a close relationship to primary care veterinarians, since this is where a pet is usually presented. Students learn about nutrition and when to refer an animal to a nutritionist, but they also learn to communicate with clients about what can be a very tender subject. Nutritionists also work closely with the Rehabilitation Service, because increasing activity to alter body metabolism is a very important facet of every weight loss plan. Formal physical therapy can be important in this plan.

Shelter Medicine
The new MSU Shelter Medicine Program will train veterinarians for work in animal shelters as well as provide experience and knowledge to veterinarians who will enter primary care practices or become specialists.

Many animal shelters today lack professionally-trained veterinary staff to maintain wellness programs or to establish treatment programs for the very young, sick, injured, and poorly behaved. Through curricula, hands-on shelter experience, and shelter-related research, the program will introduce veterinary students to this discipline and help train shelter medicine specialists and well-informed primary care veterinarians.

Shelter medicine has a relationship to primary care, to behavior, and to other areas of veterinary medicine.

Dentistry
Oral hygiene is very important to the overall health of pets. Pet owners can take a number of actions to delay or prevent the development of periodontal disease. As with humans, brushing teeth is the foundation.

Regular cleanings work well to stave off periodontal disease, but sometimes more extensive care is required for more advanced stages of periodontal disease. The Dentistry Service treats all aspects of oral health.

Primary care veterinarians need to make dental examinations part of routine check-ups, and to identify early signs of problems. Primary care and specialist veterinarians need to know when to refer to a dental specialist.

Posted: December 2013